Psalms and Chant, a Presentation of Piano Works based on Jewish texts and Jewish thought, performed by Dr. Alan Mason, at the piano in his own home.
Music is elemental to human nature. We naturally sing a lullaby, chant a children's rhyme, or whistle while we work. Music's power derives from its rhythmic essence, for we are rhythmic creatures, even breathing and pulsing to a beat. Hence the power of music to maintain our natural rhythms. This program of Jewish piano works explores the steady beat of life re-regularized despite the circumstances we are in a this time due to the pandemic. We will explore music based on the Book of Psalms, the most personal pieces of writing in the Bible, and music based on chant, which is the repetition of sacred phrases of text and music.
Dr. Alan Mason is one of the nation's most noted pianists for sacred Jewish musical events. He is a regular accompanist for the Union for Reform Judaism, American Conference of Cantors, Cantors Assembly, the Union for Reform Judaism, and at synagogues throughout the country. He is the conductor of HaZamir Miami, a chapter of HaZamir: The International Jewish Teen Choir, and is the Assistant to the Director of the South Florida Symphony Orchestra Chorus. Alan received the Doctor of Musical Art degree from the University of Miami Frost School of Music, and is a retired Associate Professor of Music at Barry University.